Magical Mystery Tour

Life in general has its twists and turns. We don't always take the right route or make the right decisions and faced with an unknown turn in life, its probably best to keep going straight ahead - unless you're sure of a way back...

I've faced a lot of life changing decisions as I've lurched from one adventure to another but one thing I know, is that I expect my bus to go where its says its going and for the bus driver to know where his bus is going too!

A few weeks ago, one bright and sunny morning, I settled into my seat at the front of the bus for the hour long trip to work; within five minutes, I knew the trip was going to be different!
Accustomed, as I am, to the familiar straight route into the city; I was a little surprised when the bus suddenly turned right, across the dual carriageway and into a residential street. The driver continued driving for a few seconds and slowly ground to a halt.  He sat motionless and then turning sheepishly to me, gave a little laugh and said, he thought he was driving the 373!

Since the 373 is a small green bus and not a double length red bus and doesn't go this way either, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
He slowly drove the length of the street until he realised he would have to turn around as there was no other way out except via a small, narrow lane.
With a resigned shrug he said "Bugger, have to turn around" like he was driving a minibus

Have you ever seen an 18 metre metro bus executing a thirty-three point turn? Fascinating! 
Thank goodness the people in this street have garages and don't park their cars on the road!
We took out a couple of bins during the manouvres that followed and, though a lot of its twigs travelled some distance with us, we deftly avoided uprooting a tree, by a hair! 
I almost clapped!

I certainly breathed a sigh of relief as we approached the dual carriageway once more.
Other passengers in the bus just looked on in bewilderment; heads bobbing from side to side like at a tennis match. Too early for lucid thought i supposed!

The remainder of the journey was almost dull by comparison!

Footnote:

Last night, whilst happily listening to an 'Hercule Poirot' audiobook on my ipod, on my friday night journey home through the city, the bus stopped in Castlereagh St and the bus driver turned to me and asked "Do I turn left down here or keep going?"
I winced slightly, then replied kindly, "Yes, turn left here and then right at the lights and then, just keep going"!
He smiled and nodded and I sighed and went back to my ipod.

Life is never dull on a bus!